Help! Who's eating our fern and Hosta?

Hello again, my friends! I need your help.

The pics below are from our garden back home, that now my Dad and Sister tend. Something chomps on our beautiful fern, and the old Hostas there, and I have no idea what. I've never heard of anything eating ferns until now. On the left side in this pic you can see the last normal fern leaf, for comparison.
My sister tells me there is no insect or animal to be seen, either on the leaves or on the ground.

Please take a look and help me, I really want to save these plants, as they were planted by my dear Grandma and I could not imagine our home without them!
Alexandra

Here's the second pic, with the damage on the Hosta. The two plants are "neighbors", and it may be that it's the same nasty something that eats them.

I hope to receive soon some more detailed photographs, but if anything comes to your minds, please let me know!

Thanks again,
Alexandra

Hi Alexandra, I am not sure what your culprit eating "thingy" is of your hosta/fern there but you might want to try "seven dust" either in the spray or powder form for starter.

Rachel

Before you start treating your plants with chemicals you have to first identify what it is you are trying to control. Looking at the chewing pattern on the Hosta leaf and the fern fronds I would bet on some kind of caterpillar but I cannot be sure.

Thank you, my friends, for answering. I also received a few emails with help, and I'm very grateful!

Most suspect slugs, and earwigs were mentioned as well. She looked for any kind of caterpillar, but nothing is seen. Just the damage. Sis will have to deal with them, I passed along all the suggestions for treatment, and hopefully she'll report back a success. I know it will be a tough fight.

She'll probably adopt a less toxic (for kids and pets) approach, at least in the beginning. I'll get back with any news I have.

Thanks again! My best wishes to you,
Alexandra

my petunia blooms kept getting munched on when we lived in Dallas and I never could figure it out until late one night I caught a field mouse munching away at them like they were a buffet.

Hi, Babee! Those were nasty mice, eating your Petunias! We used to have some birds that would feast on Portulaca flowers! I don't know, I don't think they are mice in this case, the neighbors have hunting cats that are always patrolling the area, including our yard.

We used to have a cat too, until last December, when he didn't return from his walk. My dad was devastated, and didn't want another cat, but I think his Grandson will break him soon!

that's the thing about those pesky little critters. When you think they shouldn't like something, they take nibble and discover it tastes good! the ones we had to deal with came from a field close by that was being developed. I guess their homes got displaced so they went out looking for new food sources/places to live.